In their first game of the 2013 cycle, United States U-20 national team played to a friendly draw against France at Stade Hector-Rolland a Moulins in Allier, France on Tuesday afternoon.

The US took a largely European based team to France for a pair of friendlies and the team is coached in this series by Tab Ramos. This comes following US Soccer's announcement that they are not renewing the contact for former coach Thomas Rongen.

The US opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Conor Doyle hammered home a close range after a previous shot had hit the cross bar.

The French equalized in the 15th minute when Yannis Tafer tapped in a ball after a cross from Gilles Sunu hit the far post.

In the 44th minute Josh Gatt put the United States ahead when his shot from just outside the box deflected off a defender and past French goalkeeper Jonathan Ligal.

Ten minutes later, Real Salt Lake's Luis Gil extended the lead to 3-1 when he took advantage of a poor clearance off a corner kick and hit a powerful low shot past Ligal into the net from just inside the box.

The French cut the deficit to 3-2 in the 60th minute when Anthony Knockaert hit a perfect left footed shot into the upper right corner past outstretched US keeper Cody Cropper.

Knockeart then equalized for the French in the 88th minute when he pounced on a poor US clearance and sent it home from just eight yards out.

Despite giving up a late equalizer, the game is a positive result for the US team who only arrived in France on Monday and were playing with many new faces. The French team has qualified for the 2011 U20 World Cup and is considered to be a contender.

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